The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus reveals that season 1 showrunner Frank Darabont always wanted Daryl to be as dirty and grimy as possible. Based on the popular comic book series by Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead first aired in 2010 on AMC. The pilot episode introduces audiences to Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes, a former sheriff's deputy, who leads a group of survivors, including Reedus' Daryl Dixon, through a zombie apocalypse. Although many characters come and go over the course of the show's 11 seasons, including Rick himself, Daryl remains one of the few constants. With The Walking Dead having now concluded, Daryl is next slated to appear in his very own spinoff show.
In a recent episode of the Real Ones with Jon Bernthal podcast, Reedus reflects on The Walking Dead season 1 in a conversation with his former co-star, who played antagonist Shane. Reedus recalls how Darabont, who was replaced after season 1, was always committed to ensuring that Daryl appeared as dirty as possible, with the showrunner even taking matters into his own hands when a makeup artist wouldn't take the character's look far enough. Check out Reedus' full comment below:
"I remember working with [Frank Darabont] and he was so in it. I remember, at one point, I'm crawling under a car and I jump up on T-Dog and all of this stuff happens, and [Frank] was like, 'Norman needs more dirt,' and [the makeup artist] was like, 'No, no, that matches.' And he goes, 'Ugh,' picks up grease off the ground and just wipes it across my face. I was like, 'Oh, my God, I love you so much.'
"You remember, back then, all I wanted to be was filthy, I was so dirty. I would steal the dirt, get back to my room, and apply more to it when they weren't looking. They'd be like, 'You're so filthy,' and I was like, 'I want them to smell me.' I loved it, I'm a dude, I thought, ‘Yes!' But Frank, to work with, he was so inspirational."
How Daryl Evolves In The Walking Dead
Although Daryl always retains his grimy and unkempt appearance, evidently much to Reedus' delight, the character does change quite a bit over the course of The Walking Dead's 11 seasons. When audiences first meet Daryl, the rough biker is caught between his loyalty to his arrogant and racist brother, Merle (Michael Rooker), and his role as part of Rick's group of survivors. After Merle's death in The Walking Dead season 3, Daryl remains something of an outcast by choice, always camping and living on his own relative to the other survivors in the core group, something that slowly starts to change in later seasons.
As the show's seasons progress and the zombie apocalypse becomes even more grim, Daryl becomes close with other members of the group, namely Melissa McBride's Carol. Through his brotherly bond with Rick and close ties to Carol, Daryl takes on more of a leadership role within the group, which becomes especially pronounced after Rick's exit in season 9. With Rick gone, Daryl essentially becomes the show's leading man, retaining his wilder sensibilities while looking out for others like never before. The Walking Dead's Daryl and Carol were originally supposed to appear in an upcoming spinoff together, which would have further developed their bond, but McBride ended up dropping out of the series, meaning it will instead focus only on Reedus' character.
It remains to be seen what is next for Daryl in the world of The Walking Dead, but the character remains a fan-favorite part of the show even more than 10 years after he first appeared on-screen. Although now very different from when he was first introduced to audiences, the spinoff series could see Daryl revert to his former more lone-wolf-type self, which could be an interesting regression to explore. Whatever is next for Daryl after The Walking Dead, it's clear that Reedus has very much enjoyed his time playing the character, especially when it involved being covered in dirt and grime.
Source: Real Ones with Jon Bernthal